Subhechcha Ganguly 
Russia has signalled that it will use the upcoming New Delhi summit to shield its trade partnership with India from US sanctions, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson said ahead of the visit. Putin is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Thursday, December 4, with the annual India-Russia summit set for Friday, December 5. This will mark his first trip to India since the Ukraine conflict began.
According to a Kremlin briefing, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow aims to safeguard bilateral trade from restrictions imposed by the United States. A key defence agreement between India and Russia has also been cleared by the Russian Parliament, adding significant weight to the summit agenda.
Here are the key takeaways from Putin’s New Delhi visit:
Putin will land in New Delhi on December 4, and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi the next day for the annual summit—an event paused after the Ukraine war.
Both nations are expected to discuss steps to protect India–Russia trade from US sanctions, along with new avenues for energy cooperation, including small modular nuclear reactors.
Deepening defence ties will be a major priority, especially amid US pressure on India to reduce its dependence on Russian energy and military imports.
Both sides have finalised a pact enabling mobility for skilled and semi-skilled workers. Negotiations have also begun on a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, aimed at easing tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Russia’s State Duma has ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS) pact signed earlier this year. Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin described the move as a step toward deeper, reciprocal cooperation, emphasising the strategic and comprehensive nature of India–Russia relations.
Putin’s visit is being viewed as a critical moment for both nations to reinforce long-standing strategic ties, even as global geopolitical pressures intensify.
